bibliography

How to do a bibliography

What is a bibliography?

A bibliography is a list of sources used to complete your research.

Any source of information used in your report must be listed in the bibliography.

Why do I need one?

A bibliography gives your work more authority.

It shows that you have searched for and collected precise, accurate facts.

How do I write a bibliography?

There is a very exact form for writing a bibliography. Follow all the rules listed below.

A bibliography should be on a separate page at the end of the research paper. It should have your name and page number.
Title the page "Bibliography."
Sources should be listed in alphabetical order by what comes first and never numbered.
Double space between sources entries. Single space within an entry.
The first line must begin at the margin. Second and third lines are indented.
Punctuate as shown below. Underline titles. Separate with periods. Use a colon between the place published and publisher.
URLs must be given in full, surrounded by brackets.

How do I treat electronic sources such as the www or Newsbank?

Basically it is the same as a paper source, with author and title and publication.

Important additions are the date the page was uploaded, any dates of revisions, the URL which is the www address, and the date you accessed the information. WWW sites disappear so it is important to name the date on which you actually saw the information.

If you cannot find this information, give as much as you can find. Remember, though, that a web page without any credible author or source may not have accurate, reliable information.

Click here to return the WMS research sources page.

Jeanie Zoller
September 1,2001